Featured Articles and Guides

C Battery vs. D Battery: The Ultimate Guide

C batteries (or C-cell batteries) and D batteries (or D-cell batteries) are cylindrical batteries manufactured as both non-rechargeable and rechargeable batteries and are commonly used in toys, flashlights, remote controllers, power tools, and many other devices and gadgets.

C batteries and D batteries are very similar in appearance, but they do differ in size, capacity, and other features, making many people ask themselves what the actual difference between C and D batteries is and if they are interchangeable.

Updated: March 24, 2023.

Wire Gauge Charts: AWG to mm2 Conversion Charts and Wire Sizes

With various standards around, it is important to know how to convert proper cable sizes from one standard to another.

Also, voltage drop and power losses depend on the cable length, thickness, and current flowing through the cable.

Updated: March 21, 2023.

How Long Does It Take For Water To Boil?

In order to boil water, one has to increase the temperature of water to its boiling temperature at normal atmospheric pressure, and this requires energy.

The most common ways of boiling water include heating it on the stove, in the microwave, or in the electric kettle. There are other ways of boiling the water, for example, in the electric oven, but they are rarely used.

Updated: March 17, 2023.

How To Charge A Boat Battery On The Water: The Complete Guide

While charging the battery in port should not be a problem, charging battery, or more often, batteries, on the water for many skippers can be a problem for many reasons.

Having discharged battery can spoil any fishing, leisure, or similar boat trip. However, boat batteries can be easily charged using several methods, and with some care, they can be kept fully or almost fully charged most of the time.

Published: March 13, 2023.

Do Electric Bikes Have Weight Limits And How Much?

Electric bikes are used for everyday commuting, off-road adventures, leisure riding, and in every possible situation where ordinary bikes were exclusively used just a few years ago.

Rider weight or total load weight is a hot topic among electric bike users - does it affect the electric bike's performances and does the increased weight increase the stress on the electric bike's components?

Published: February 28, 2023.

How Long Do Marine Batteries Last? Tips and Tricks How To Extend Their Life

Marine batteries range from small lead-acid batteries designed for starting small outboard gasoline engines to large cranking battery banks intended for cranking large diesel engines and large deep-cycle battery banks intended for powering all sorts of loads while the main engine (or engines) are turned off.

As such, marine batteries are one of the most important parts of any boat or yacht, often underappreciated until they show signs of impending failure. Thus, many people wonder how long marine batteries last and how they can extend their lifetime.

Published: February 23, 2023.

How To Properly Charge An Electric Bike

Electric bikes depend on the energy stored in their onboard batteries for Pedal-Assist and Full-Electric ride modes.

When the battery is discharged, one has to recharge it again. However, charging high-capacity lithium-ion batteries is not just plug-and-play since one has to take into account many little details.

Published: February 17, 2023.

How Long Does It Take to Charge a Car Battery?

Regardless of the car battery type or brand, from time to time, it may become necessary to recharge the car battery using the battery charger. Was the battery discharged due to the parasite load, multimedia devices, or for some other reason, this is not the topic of this article.

However, if that happens several times over a short period of time, check the alternator and the rest of the electric system of your car.

Updated: February 1, 2023.

Onboard Marine Chargers: Best 3 Bank Battery Charger

3 bank battery chargers are commonly used for charging several (up to 3) batteries at once, using just one battery charger.

Most onboard battery chargers are designed to be permanently connected to the batteries, which are then charged whenever the battery charger is plugged in the mains power.

3 bank battery chargers are commonly used on boats, yachts, electric vehicles, RVs, off-the-grid, and other applications that have the need to charge multiple batteries at once.

Updated: January 28, 2023.

1.5 Volt Battery: The Ultimate Guide

1.5 Volt batteries are some of the most popular batteries on the market, ranging in size from tiny button/coin cell batteries to large, heavy-duty cylindrical batteries.

Thanks to their popularity, practically all battery brands offer them - 1.5V batteries thus differ in chemistry, size, type, intended use, etc.

Published: January 28, 2023.

Can You Jump Start a Car With a Bad Alternator?

When the car starting battery is discharged, one can jump-start a car with another car's battery using jump-start cables or using a car jump starter.

However, there are many reasons why the battery is dead in the first place, including parasite load over a longer period of time, a bad or simply old battery, or a bad or faulty alternator.

If the battery is almost new and there are no loads that would discharge the battery, and one nonetheless has to jump-start the car, there is a great probability that there is something wrong with the alternator or charge regulator, leading to the question if the car can be jump-started with a bad alternator...

Updated: January 25, 2023.

Why Is My Light Switch Hot: Reasons and Solutions

Light switches allow us to control lights and appliances by controlling the flow of electricity. Properly dimensioned and installed traditional light switches should not feel warm to the touch, while dimmer switches may become slightly warm.

However, when the light switch, regardless of the type, is getting hot, it must be addressed immediately. Failing to do that may lead to damaged lights, appliances, light switches, and wires, but also to sparks and fires.

Published: January 21, 2023.

How To Connect Batteries in Series and Parallel: Series vs. Parallel

Batteries can be connected in series and parallel in order to create battery packs of larger voltage and/or capacity.

While in theory, batteries can be almost freely connected in parallel and series, following just a few simple rules, in real life, things are not that simple.

But, battery packs consisting of several batteries connected in parallel and/or series are used every day, and it is good to learn how to do it properly.

Updated: January 17, 2023.

16 Volt Battery: Guide To 16V AGM and Lithium Batteries

16-volt batteries are typically used in drag racers, circle track racers, and other racing cars and vehicles, in general, to help lower the weight of the electrical systems and to improve reliability, fuel efficiency, to crank larger engines, etc.

To reduce the weight even further, many racing vehicles lack alternators and charge controllers, requiring their batteries to work harder than typical car batteries since they must crank large internal combustion engines and power all electronic and electrical systems during the race.

Published: January 16, 2023.

AA vs AAA Battery: The Difference Between AA And AAA Batteries

AA and AAA batteries are very popular cylindrical batteries available in various chemistries, each offering different discharge characteristics.

AA and AAA batteries differ in size and hence the capacity. In certain situations, using a special battery holder, one may replace AA with AAA batteries, but at the expense of battery capacity.

Updated: January 14, 2023.

How To Change Omron MC245 (MC-245) Thermometer Battery?

Omron MC245 (MC-245) thermometer is a simple-to-use and very accurate pen-like thermometer intended for measuring body temperature in several ways.

Omron MC245 (MC-245) thermometer comes with many interesting features, but unlike Omron MC246 (MC-246) thermometer, the Omron MC245 (MC-245) thermometer appears as if the battery replacement was not planned at all. But, Omron MC245 (MC-245) thermometer battery can be replaced.

Published: January 10, 2023.

Can A Generator Run A Heater?

During cold winter days, a space heater or an AC unit can make a huge difference between being comfortable or feeling miserable.

When being off-the-grid for whatever reason, when camping, during blackouts, or some other emergencies, staying warm is one of the most important things, so many people wonder if they can plug a space heater into a power or solar generator.

Published: January 5, 2023.

8 Volt Tractor Battery - The Complete Guide

8-volt tractor batteries are starting batteries and should not be confused with 8V deep-cycle batteries, which are typically used in golf carts and similar electric vehicles for creating battery packs of 24V and 48V.

8V cranking batteries are not as common as 12V Group U1 and Group 22NF batteries or 6V Group 1 batteries, but they are still present in some vehicles, and as such, they are also available on the market.

Published: January 4, 2023.

Trailer Battery Charger: AC-to-DC, DC-to-DC, and Solar Dump and Travel Trailer Battery Chargers

Regardless of the trailer type, trailer batteries are often hardworking batteries that often operate in anything but ideal conditions.

As such, these batteries have to be charged and kept fully charged when the trailer is not in use. The most common trailer battery chargers include AC-to-DC, DC-to-DC, and solar battery chargers and their combinations, allowing the trailer users to have their batteries charged regardless of the situation.

Published: January 3, 2023.

AA Battery Weight: How Many AA Batteries Weigh 500 Grams

AA batteries are very popular battery size and are commonly used for consumer electronics, including toys, remotes, flashlights, cameras, drones, etc.

AA batteries come in various chemistries, with each chemistry having different discharge features but also different weight. And best of all, many manufacturers offer several battery models with the same chemistry but with different features and specifications. Here is the comparison chart of the most common AA batteries on the market.

Published: December 30, 2022.

Can I Run A TV Using A Power Generator?

Although even the smallest power generators are generally strong enough to power home TVs, even the largest ones, many people nonetheless ask if they can run their TVs using power generators. And they ask for a good reason.

When powering TVs using power generators, the output power of generators is not an issue. However, a waveform of the output voltage can cause various issues to modern TVs, laptops, tablets, audio devices, telecommunication devices, and similar devices.

Published: December 29, 2022.

How To Make Generator Quiet

Generators can be a great backup power source or a convenient way to bring electricity to a remote location, construction site, camping site, etc. However, they can also be quite loud, which can be a problem if you need to use one in a residential area or if you just want to reduce the noise level in your backyard.

There are several ways to make the generator quiet, and the best approach will depend on the specific power generator model and, of course, the budget.

Published: December 29, 2022.

Why Is My Car Clicking When Trying To Start?

Nobody wants to hear a clicking sound or just one click when trying to start the car, especially in a hurry.

There are many reasons why a car may produce a clicking sound when trying to start, from a bad battery to a bad starter or something even more serious. Fortunately, reasons are often relatively simple and can be solved rather quickly.

Published: December 28, 2022.

18 Gauge Wire (18/2 Wire, 18/3 Wire, 18/4 Wire) Amps: Guide to 18 Gauge Copper Speaker Wire

18 gauge wires are commonly used for powering devices that don't require too strong currents, including home or car speakers, except subwoofers.

But, for many other applications, 18 gauge wires tend to be too thin, especially when powering home appliances, tools, and similar loads.

Published: December 27, 2022.

Best AA Batteries For Trail Cameras

AA batteries are a very popular choice for powering trail, wildlife, and other similar outdoor cameras, which require reliable batteries with a wide temperature range being able to provide constant small currents for standby mode and short current pulses when actually taking pictures.

AA batteries come in several different chemistries, offering their users batteries with different features and at different prices.

Published: December 23, 2022.

Can You Use A Marine Battery In A Car

Both marine and car batteries share many similarities in terms of voltage, capacity, size, weight, CCA (Cold Cranking Amps), MCA (Marine Cranking Amps), chemistry, battery terminals, and similar.

When having issues with a car battery, replacing a car battery with a fully charged marine battery can be tempting, but can and should this be done?

Published: December 22, 2022.

How To Keep Generator Battery Charged

Power generators with remote and electric start feature built-in lead-acid or lithium starting batteries, which are required for cranking the internal combustion engine and for powering remote start electronics while the unit is in standby mode.

For a generator to be as reliable as possible, it is very important that its battery is fully charged and ready to be used at the moment's notice. However, some people wonder how to charge the generator's battery.

Published: December 22, 2022.

Generator Suicide Cord: Male to Male Extension Cord

Male-to-male extension cords are not very common extension cords but can come in very handy in emergencies and blackouts when one wants to provide at least some electric power to the home appliances.

Male-to-male extension cords are simple electrical cords with prongs on both ends, allowing the user to connect one end to the wall power socket and another end to the power generator.

Although such connections are quick and easy, there are a few very serious safety issues with them, giving these extension cords a rather grim nickname - suicide cord.

Updated: December 22, 2022.

Tri Fuel Generator: The Ultimate Guide

Power generators convert chemical energy stored in fossil fuels into electricity, allowing the users to power various electrical devices, tools, appliances, gadgets, etc., during blackouts, emergencies, when camping, on construction sites, and similar.

Tri-fuel generators are able to use three types of fuel, commonly gasoline (often shortened as "gas," which can lead to some confusion), propane gas (LPG - Liquid Petroleum Gas), and natural gas (NG).

Published: December 17, 2022.

Best AA Rechargeable Batteries For Solar Lights

AA rechargeable batteries are very often used to power small solar lights commonly used in the garden, backyard, along the pathways, and similar.

Rechargeable batteries for solar lights should feature broad charging and discharging temperature range, should support a large number of charging/discharging cycles, should support charging with various currents, must be safe for use, and similar.

Published: December 14, 2022.

Top 70+ Most Fuel-Efficient Power Generators

When comparing power generators, specific fuel efficiency is one of the sometimes neglected features, often disguised in runtime at certain power levels, usually @25%, @50%, or @100% of nominal power with the fuel tank capacity being provided, as well.

We are bringing You the list of the most fuel-efficient power generators with their efficiency provided in gallons and liters per kWh at a certain power level with other features provided as well.

Updated: December 14, 2022.

How Many Lumens Is The Sun?

When checking the features and specifications of various flashlights, one always checks the amount of lumens that the flashlight can produce.

Since our Sun converts ~4.000.000 tons of mass into energy every second(!), many people wonder how many lumens the sun is, despite it radiating the energy in a very broad spectrum.

Anyway, the sun is a very powerful "flashlight" ...

Published: December 12, 2022.

Treadmill Amps and Watts: Does A Treadmill Use A Lot Of Electricity?

Treadmills allow their users to walk, jog and run at home, even during bad and cold weather outside, and to burn tons of calories.

However, many people also wonder about treadmill power consumption and how many Watts and Amps their treadmills actually require.

Published: December 6, 2022.

Luminous Efficacy: Lumens to Watts Conversion

Different light sources emit different amounts of visible light using the same amount of power. Luminous efficacy is a measure that shows how well a light source converts one type of energy, usually electricity, into visible light.

Luminous efficacy is a ratio of luminous flux (given in lumens) and power (given in Watts) and is written as "lm/W." In short, more energy-efficient light sources will provide more lumens for the same amount of power.

Published: December 2, 2022.

Vacuum Wattage: How Many Watts Does a Vacuum Use?

Vacuum cleaners range in size, type, and wattage significantly, so when speaking about vacuum wattage, one must take into account these moments as well.

If You wish to find out how many watts your vacuum use, the best thing to do is to check the Owner's Guide that came with the unit. However, there are a few more things to consider as well ...

Published: November 29, 2022.

How to Convert Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) to Amp Hours (Ah)

Conversion between Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) and Amp Hours (Ah) is not a direct one for one very simple reason: Cold Cranking Amps describe the ability of the battery to provide strong currents required for starting/cranking of internal combustion engines, usually for 30 seconds, while Amp Hours (Ah) describes the capacity of the battery and its ability to provide certain current for, usually, 20 hours.

Basically, Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) and Amp Hours (Ah) both describe the capacity of the battery and its ability to provide current for some time - they are just two extremes of battery usage.

Updated: November 28, 2022.

Light Bulb Wattage: How Many Watts Does A Light Bulb Use

Light bulbs are smallish devices that convert electric energy into light and heat, and until a few years, not many people wondered about their energy efficiency.

But, with the rise of electric energy prices, and the introduction of newer light bulb technologies, many people ask themselves how many watts their light bulbs actually use and if it is worth to start using new, energy very efficient LED bulbs.

Published: November 24, 2022.

Car Battery Died While Driving - Can a Car Battery Die While Driving?!

Many people wonder if the car battery can die while driving, especially after their car battery died while driving. Obviously, the answer is "Yes, a car battery can die while driving."

A good car starting or dual-purpose battery should not die while driving, but although it is a rare event, it happens. There are many reasons why a car battery dies while driving, here are the few most common ones...

Updated: November 22, 2022.

Wet/Flooded, AGM and Gel-Cell Deep Cycle, Dual Purpose and Starting Lead-Acid Batteries - Little Bit of Theory

Lead-acid batteries are still the preferred choice for many marine, automotive and industrial applications, despite the presence of lightweight and powerful lithium-ion batteries on the market for quite some time.

As such, lead-acid batteries come in many sizes, forms, electrolyte types, plate alloys, intended uses, etc. that sometimes finding the right battery for certain applications may be a daunting task. But it shouldn't be...

Updated: November 22, 2022.

Top Off Car Battery: Battery Acid vs. Battery Water

Despite technological advances, especially lithium batteries, many road vehicles still use lead-acid batteries as starting/cranking batteries.

Some lead-acid batteries are not maintenance-free batteries, and to prolong car battery life, one must add battery water to the battery acid to maintain the battery electrolyte in proper condition.

Published: November 21, 2022.

How to Choose the Best Electric ATV for Kids and Adults

Electric All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) are a type of Off-Road Vehicles (ORVs) that are becoming more and more popular thanks to the improvements in batteries and other electric and electronic components.

Electric ATVs range in size from toy vehicles for small children to large and powerful vehicles with performances comparable to gas-powered ATVs.

Updated: November 18, 2022.

Battery Cables and Terminals: Is​ Red Positive Or Negative?

When connecting batteries, jump starters, jumper cables, and similar to the car's or similar batteries, it is very important to know which cable and terminal post are positive and which ones are negative.

Also, it is very important to know which one to connect or disconnect first.

Not knowing such information can be dangerous since car batteries and jump starters are able to provide huge currents, even when not fully charged.

Updated: November 18, 2022.

Dimmable LED Flash: How To Solve LED Dimming Issues

Older incandescent bulbs are being phased out thanks to the energy-efficient LED light bulbs. However, incandescent bulbs were very simple and reliable - after all, they are "just" a very thin tungsten (wolfram, W) filament with no electronics of any kind.

LED light bulbs, on the other hand, depend on the built-in electronic controller to run Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) - if the controller doesn't work properly, the light provided by LEDs is anything but smooth and pleasant.

What causes dimming issues of the LED lights, and how can one fix it? We look at the causes and solutions for flashing and flickering LED lights.

Published: November 18, 2022.

How Many Watts Does An Air Conditioner Use?

Air conditioners are some of the more significant energy consumers in any household, and people often wonder how many watts an air conditioner (AC unit) draws and how much that electricity costs.

Things are not that simple since AC units come in different sizes, types, energy classes, and similar. Also, it is not the same as how the air conditioner is used and how long it operates per day.

Published: November 17, 2022.

What Gauge Wire Is Needed To Connect 12V Batteries?

When connecting batteries in series and parallel, it is important to know the maximum current that will go through the wires and the length of the wires.

12V lead-acid and lithium batteries are able to provide very strong currents, but if too thin wires are used, energy losses may be unacceptable. Also, overheating of the wires and even fires are easily possible.

Published: November 14, 2022.

8S LiPo Battery: All About 8S Lithium Polymer Batteries

Lithium polymer (LiPo for short) batteries feature electrolyte in the form of polymer gel, hence the name. In order to increase the voltage and, thus efficiency, more cells are connected in series.

For example, when 8 LiPo cells are connected in series, 8S ("S" for connection in Series) LiPo batteries are created, which are able to provide huge amounts of power in a very short period of time. However, regardless of advances in chemistry and other technologies, 8S LiPo batteries should be handled with care.

Published: November 14, 2022.

Washing Machine Wattage: How Many Watts Does A Washing Machine Use?

A washing machine is a large appliance that is used quite often, especially in larger families with kids.

While absolutely needed, many people wonder how many watts and how much energy a washing machine needs to do its job and how does it reflect on the electricity bill?

Published: November 10, 2022.

Best Sump Pump Backup Battery

Battery-powered sump pumps are a type of emergency equipment that must operate reliably when required, and saving money on these pumps or their batteries may be a very expensive thing to do.

The sump pump backup battery must be strong enough to power the sump pump motor, and it must store enough energy to power the whole unit long enough to prevent as much damage as possible until mains power is restored.

Updated: November 10, 2022.

How to Charge a Marine Battery

Electrical demands on modern boats are much higher than a decade or more ago.

Nearly all fishing boats have electrical devices such as lights, radios, sonars, refrigerators, laptops, electric trolling motors, electric watermakers, etc.

Updated: November 10, 2022.

Computer Wattage: How Many Watts Does A Computer Use?

Computers are present in various forms at any home, and while not being as energy-hungry as some other devices and appliances, it is good to know how much energy and Watts computers require.

Just like other electrical devices, computers do differ in many features, power consumption included. However, some average computer wattage can be safely assumed when calculating required energy and, of course, electric bills.

Published: November 9, 2022.

What To Do When Your Circuit Breaker Keeps Tripping

Circuit breakers are designed to protect electrical circuits from damage caused by overload and short circuits.

Sometimes circuit breakers start tripping quickly and frequently, protecting the electric circuit but also signaling an issue with the load, power switches, outlets, or maybe even wiring.

And the "best" of all, like everything else, sometimes even a circuit breaker may malfunction.

Published: November 5, 2022.

18650 Battery vs. AA Battery

Both 18650 and AA batteries are cylindrical batteries that differ in size, and that come in various types of battery chemistries, thus differing in the battery voltage, capacity, and other charging/discharging characteristics.

In order to simplify finding the batteries for their devices, some manufacturers ship their 18650 devices (mostly flashlights) with an AA battery holder that allows AA batteries to be used in the 18650 battery compartments. But is this actually a good idea?

Updated: November 4, 2022.

0 Gauge Wire: 1/0 Aluminum & 1/0 Copper Wire

0 gauge wire is a relatively thick wire that can carry a lot of Amps, regardless if it is made out of aluminum or copper.

0 gauge wire is often written as 1/0 gauge wire and should not be confused with 1 gauge wire.

0 gauge wire is rarely used by homeowners since it is not used for typical applications one finds in residential buildings. But it is a good thing to know a thing or two about this wire size...

Published: October 31, 2022.

What Will a 3000 Watt Generator Run?

3000 Watt power generators are a very popular category for homeowners, campers, outdoor enthusiasts, and similar people who want a relatively compact power generator that is able to power a relatively long list of home appliances and devices in emergencies, during blackouts, at construction sites, when camping and being generally off-the-grid.

3000 Watt power generators differ slightly in output power but can differ significantly in other features like fuel types, noise levels, start types, the list of available receptacles, and similar, so one has to choose according to the personal needs and requirements.

Updated: October 27, 2022.

Best Lawn Mower and Tractor Batteries - Types, Sizes, and Replacements

A lawn mower, tractor, and garden starting batteries are used for starting/cranking internal combustion engines and sometimes for powering other electric loads, including lights, smaller winches, various pumps, and similar devices.

When looking for a new battery, one must pay attention to several details in order to get the right battery that will serve well for years ahead.

Updated: October 27, 2022.

Off-the-Grid: How Many Watts and Amps Does a TV Use - TV Wattage

TVs are not used anymore for just "watching a TV" - they are used for "watching TV," but also for media streaming, gaming, as communication devices, part of security systems, etc. - it is vital to know how many watts and energy in general they require.

Regardless of whether You are worried about your electric bill or you want to watch TV during power outages, we bring You the TV wattage comparison chart taking into account TV sizes and technologies.

Updated: October 4, 2022.

Do Sun Panels Need Direct Sunlight To Operate?

With more and more people using solar panels to power their homes and to recharge their electric vehicles, RVs, golf carts, and similar, more and more questions regarding solar panels are being asked.

One of the very common questions is if solar panels need direct sunlight to work.

Published: October 24, 2022.

How To Neutralize Battery Acid and Clean Up Battery Acid Spills

Battery acid and battery electrolytes, in general, are chemicals that should not come in contact with skin, clothes, and other everyday materials.

Also, their vapors and fumes can be rather dangerous - when battery electrolytes come in contact with other materials, they can react in unpredictable ways creating perhaps even more dangerous compounds.

When a battery starts to leak, the battery acid must be neutralized, and the battery must be considered as dangerous and must be replaced and properly recycled.

Published: October 19, 2022.

Outlet Stopped Working, Breaker Not Tripped - What To Do?

When the power outlet loses power, the most probable reason is tripped circuit breaker or a blown a fuse.

But, in some situations, the outlet may stop working without the circuit breaker being tripped. When that happens, what can one do to solve the problem?

Updated: October 19, 2022.

How Many Volts Is A Motorcycle Battery?

Most motorcycles have 12V electrical systems, although some oldtimers still operate at 6V, but they are rather rare.

Motorcycle batteries are tasked with starting the motorcycle's internal combustion engine and powering lights and a few more electric systems while the engine is turned off.

By using simple multimeters, one can check the voltage of the battery in various situations and find out the actual battery condition.

Published: October 17, 2022.

How Many Lumens Is A 100 Watt Bulb?

Incandescent light bulbs were, for decades, common light sources at homes, converting some of the electric energy into light and the rest of the energy into heat.

100 Watt incandescent bulbs were typically used as single bulbs or in pairs for lighting up rooms and similar areas. With the introduction of more energy-efficient light sources, many people wonder how many lumens a 100W bulb produces...

Published: October 17, 2022.

5S LiPo Batteries: All About 5S Lithium Polymer Batteries

5S Lithium-Polymer (also known as LiPo, Lipo, Li-Po) batteries are very popular high-drain rechargeable batteries commonly used in high-performance RC models, toys, drones, in hobby projects, and similar.

Lithium Polymer batteries feature electrolytes in the form of polymer gel (hence the name) with graphic anode and cathode in the form of a Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LiCoO2) or some similar material. Also, they have very low internal resistance and can provide huge currents.

Published: October 17, 2022.

LR44 Battery Keychain LED Flashlights

LR44 and SR44 batteries are very often used for small EDC (Every Day Carry) keychain LED flashlights, intended for various emergencies and situations which require compact LED flashlights to be available as soon as possible.

LR44 battery flashlights usually feature three or four LR44/SR44 batteries that feature a storage life of 3+ years and can provide 5 to 50 or more lumens for 50 or more hours. The actual runtime of the flashlights depends on the storage conditions, battery type and age, previous use, and similar.

Updated: October 15, 2022.

Best Electric Bikes Under $1000

Electric bikes under $1000 offer great performances to price ratio, including strong, energy-efficient brushless electric motors, lightweight 36V and 48V lithium batteries, strong, durable, and not too heavy frames, good load capacity, etc.

Electric bikes under $1000 range in size from small and compact, foldable commuter bikes to full-size city and mountain bikes with 26" or larger wheels intended for both flat and rough terrain.

Updated: October 12, 2022.

Best Hand Crank Flashlights

Hand crank flashlights feature a small hand crank power generator that is used to charge an onboard battery which is then used to power LEDs but sometimes also for other purposes as well, like charging the USB charged devices and similar.

Often, hand crank flashlights also feature a small solar panel that collects the light and slowly charges the battery, keeping the flashlight almost always ready to go.

Updated: October 6, 2022.

Best Electric Bikes Under $2000

Electric bikes range from city commuting ebikes focused on energy efficiency and comfortable ride using roads and similar surfaces to fat tire ebikes designed to be tough and durable for rides over practically any surface that can support enough weight.

Electric bikes under $2000 feature plenty of power thanks to efficient brushless electric motors combined with high-energy lithium batteries often offering speeds well above 20 mph (32 km/h) and ranges over 30 miles in Electric Bike Modes.

Published: October 5, 2022.

How Many Lumens is a 60-Watt Bulb?

While Watts determines the electrical power of the bulb, the lumens determine how actually bright the bulb is.

60-Watt incandescent bulbs are very popular light bulbs, or at least they were - they are being replaced with more energy-efficient light sources, mostly highly efficient LED light bulbs. But, how many lumens have an ordinary 60-Watt incandescent bulb,s and what is the wattage of the equivalent LED bulb...

Published: October 4, 2022.

Can You Jump Start A Motorcycle With A Car Battery

Having discharged battery can leave the rider stranded on the side of the road, forcing one to try to crank the motorcycle's engine in various ways, including push/bump starting, using a motorcycle jump starter, car jump starter, and similar.

However, people often wonder if they can jump-start a motorcycle with a car battery. After all, in most situations, both motorcycles and cars use 12V electrical systems, right? Well...

Published: October 4, 2022.

Best Champion Dual-Fuel Generators

Dual fuel power generators give their users freedom of choosing two types of fuel for their units - gasoline (or for short "gas") and LPG (Liquid Propane Gas, or just "propane", which may be very important, especially in emergencies when gas is sometimes rather hard to find.

Champion Power Equipment company is known for a broad range of dual-fuel generators, ranging from small inverter generators being able to provide 1.5-2 kW to large 8-10 kW units, being able to power large RVs and even smaller homes.

Updated: October 4, 2022.

Best 3000 Watt Power Generators

3000 Watt power generators are very balanced units, offering strong and reliable power at acceptable cost and noise, from relatively compact units.

Unlike somewhat smaller and weaker 2000 Watt power generators, modern 3000 Watt power generators often come with features that were reserved for larger units just a few years ago.

Updated: October 4, 2022.

Best Electric Bikes Under $500

Electric bikes are becoming a very popular means of transportation, saving fuel, time, money and offering possibilities that are not available using ordinary bikes.

Ebikes under $500 offer reasonable performances at acceptable prices, but with all the options and models, it can be somewhat difficult to find "the best" electric bike. Here is our list of the best electric bikes under $500, just be sure to choose according to your own needs and preferences.

Updated: October 2, 2022.

Guide to the Best Portable Action Camera Flashlight

Portable action camera flashlights are continuous light sources required for capturing videos during low-light conditions and at night.

Requirements for the action camera flashlights differ from everyday LED flashlights, making these units somewhat different in their design, appearance, and specifications.

Nonetheless, such LED flashlights can be used in everyday situations, if and when required, including hiking, camping, fishing, in emergencies, and similar.

Updated: September 30, 2022.

Car Auxiliary Battery Malfunction Warning

Car auxiliary batteries are very similar to the main car batteries, except that they are smaller and feature smaller capacity and smaller maximum discharge current.

Car auxiliary batteries ensure constant voltage for various car electric systems, especially when the main battery is disconnected or used in the start/stop application.

Published: September 27, 2022.

Candela vs. Lumens: What Is The Difference?

Candelas and lumens are used to describe the performances of various light sources, making it very useful to know what they actually mean.

Both candelas and lumens are units of the International System of Units, and both refer to (simplified) the amount of light. However, ...

Published: September 27, 2022.

Best Lithium Car Audio Battery

Car audio systems tend to be rather "hungry" regarding the required electricity and can drain ordinary car batteries rather fast.

To prevent any issues with the car's starting batteries, additional batteries or even battery packs are added in order to power the built-in car audio systems. As such, lithium car audio batteries have many benefits over lead-acid batteries and are becoming more and more popular.

Updated: September 27, 2022.

Can You Jump Start A Car With A Bad Starter?

Car battery jump starters can be of great help when starting a car with a weak or flat battery, especially during winter.

However, a bad starter is a completely different problem, but it can also be very annoying, and as usual, it happens whenever You are in a hurry ... So, can a jump starter help with cranking the engine with a bad starter?

Published: September 27, 2022.

DeWalt 20V MAX to Ryobi 18V Battery Adapter

DeWalt 20V MAX to Ryobi 18V Battery Adapter allows the users to power Ryobi 18V compatible tools with the DeWalt 20V MAX compatible batteries.

Users that have Ryobi 18V cordless tools with old and weak batteries can now power these tools using powerful DeWalt 20V MAX compatible batteries. However, such adapters are not officially supported by either DeWalt or Ryobi, so care must be taken...

Published: September 24, 2022.

Best Champion Power Generators

Champion Power Equipment is a company that manufactures a long list of power generators and related accessories, tools, and spare parts.

Champion power generators are known as reliable and durable units that are available at acceptable prices - there are sometimes better power generators, but in most cases, such units are much more expensive.

Updated: September 24, 2022.

SI Prefixes: How Many Watts in a Kilowatt and Kilowatts in a Megawatt

SI prefixes are very important in electrical engineering but also in everyday life. Their use is relatively easy, but it can also cause many problems when done incorrectly.

Watts to kilowatts, kilowatts to megawatts, and other conversions are very important when electric energy and power of electric motors, pumps, winches, inverters, batteries, and other devices are being calculated, planned, transferred, or being used. SI prefixes help significantly, especially when dealing with very large or very small values.

Updated: September 23, 2022.

How to Charge a Deep Cycle Battery Properly

Deep cycle batteries may be recharged in many ways, but the best thing to do is to follow recommendations by their manufacturers regarding charging voltages, temperatures, and currents.

However, in real-life situations, such ideal charging conditions are not always possible.

Updated: September 23, 2022.

The Best Everyday Carry (EDC) Flashlight

EDC flashlights are a very broad category of LED flashlights, ranging from small keychain flashlights to medium-sized tactical flashlights.

Regardless of their size, beam range, light intensity, energy source, and similar, EDC flashlights share several features, including relatively compact size, and the ability to operate reliably after months and even years of being carried around and/or stored.

Published: September 23, 2022.

Best 2000 Watt Portable Inverter Generators

2000 Watt portable inverter generators are very popular units, offering reliable power from rather compact devices at an acceptable weight.

While 2000 Watt inverter generators differ in features and specifications, finding the best one often depends on personal needs, requirements, but also a budget.

Updated: September 23, 2022.

What Are The Brightest Flashlights In The World?

LED flashlights powered by ultralight lithium batteries packaged in a compact, but very resilient and durable aluminum bodies can provide extremely strong light beams with constant output levels having more than 10000 lumens and with burst modes up to 100000 lumens.

Such light intensities are not easy to achieve, and many low-quality brands offer cheap flashlights claiming 10000+ lumens of light. But, a good and reliable flashlight in the 1000+ lumens range and especially in the 10000+ lumens range cannot be cheap ...

Updated: September 21, 2022.

DeWalt to Milwaukee Battery Adapter: 20V MAX to M18 Battery Adapter

Having plenty of batteries of one brand means that You can often power a long list of cordless tools that the brand provides for that specific battery system.

But what to do when You need a cordless tool provided by another brand? For example, what to do when You have plenty of DeWalt 20V MAX batteries but want to power the Milwaukee M18 battery-compatible tool? Well, either get a few Milwaukee M18 batteries or use Dewalt 20V MAX to Milwaukee M18 battery adapter...

Published: September 19, 2022.

What Will a 10000 Watt Generator Run?

10000 Watt portable generators are a common choice for powering larger and even smaller RVs while being offline, whole houses during emergencies and blackouts, construction sites, and similar.

Thanks to their output power, 10000 Watt generators can successfully power a long list of tools, appliances, gadgets, devices, and other loads. But, one must be aware that 10000 Watt generators are rarely inverter generators, providing electric power with relatively high THD%, requiring users to additionally protect sensitive devices by smoothing out output voltage.

Updated: September 16, 2022.

Milwaukee Battery Adapters for M12, M18, and M28 Batteries

Milwaukee batteries and their cordless tools are very popular thanks to their quality and acceptable price. With all the batteries available around, many people wonder if they can be used to power other tools, DIY projects, power wheels, robotics, etc.

And the answer is yes, Milwaukee lithium batteries are used for powering a broad range of devices, gadgets, toys, etc.

Of course, every use of Milwaukee batteries except for powering Milwaukee cordless tools is not supported/forbidden by Milwaukee.

Published: September 16, 2022.

4 Gauge/AWG Wire: 4/2 Wire, 4/3 Wire, and 4/4 Wire

4 gauge wires are relatively thick wires that are seldom used at home and residential electrical installations but may be quite common in light industrial applications and applications that require currents in the 50-60 Amps range.

4 gauge wires differ in wire material, construction, Ampacity, and a few other details, making it very important to choose the very best 4 gauge wire carefully.

Published: September 16, 2022.

Quick Guide to European Plug Adapters

There is a significant difference in voltage and frequency of the mains power in Europe and the USA. Also, wall power sockets are different.

So, to use devices, tools, and gadgets intended for the US market in Europe, You need a European plug adapter. But that is not all ...

Published: September 14, 2022.

Battery Powered Fans: The Ultimate Guide

Battery-powered fans range from small, ultralight handheld units to larger, jobsite battery-operated fans powered by large, powerful lithium batteries.

Battery-operated fans don't rely on mains power and can be used practically everywhere, allowing smaller and more compact fans to be carried like other wearable electronics.

Battery-powered fans differ significantly in size, features, air flow, energy source, requirements, etc. So, when looking for a new battery-powered fan, be sure to choose according to your own needs and requirements.

Published: September 6, 2022.

How Many Watts/Amps/Electricity Does a Ceiling Fan Use - Ceiling Fan Wattage

When trying to reduce electricity consumption and hence, electric bills, most people focus on the lights and AC units, with ceiling fans not being in their focus.

Ceiling fans differ in size and number of blades, their airflow (given usually in Cubic Feet per Minute (CFM) or Cubic Meters per Minute (CMM)) and hence their wattage.

Also, by knowing the required wattage and amps of the ceiling fan, it is much easier to do energy planning in the case of emergency and being off-the-grid.

Updated: September 2, 2022.

Car Battery Testing & Voltage - How Many Volts is a Car Battery?

The car battery provides energy not only for cranking the engine but it also powers a broad range of devices that may be turned on when the engine is off, even when the car is locked, like GPS units, alarms, and other security systems, multimedia devices, lights, etc.

While car batteries feature a nominal voltage of 12 volts, in real life, this voltage can be anywhere from just a few volts (or even 0 volts!) to almost or even slightly over 15 volts. The exact battery voltage depends on the engine being turned On or Off and the battery's charge condition, age, load, temperature, etc.

Updated: August 18, 2022.

DeWalt 18V to 20V MAX Battery Adapter

DeWalt offers a wide range of cordless tools powered by their 18V batteries and 20V MAX batteries, which are not interchangeable.

However, DeWalt also offers an official battery adapter and battery adapter kit, which allows owners of 18V DeWalt tools to power them using excellent DeWalt 20V MAX batteries, simplifying battery management for owners of both Dewalt 18V and DeWalt 20V MAX tools.

Published: August 16, 2022.

Off-the-Grid: How Many Watts Does a Refrigerator Use?

Refrigerators and freezers are used for preserving the food, cooling down beverages, and for other similar tasks. When the mains power is gone, refrigerators and freezers stop, with all the stored food and drinks being in jeopardy.

Regardless if You have a fridge that you want to keep operational during a power outage or you want to have a fridge or freezer running when camping, it is vital to know the power and energy requirements of your unit.

Updated: August 13, 2022.

Volts and Amps to Watts Calculator

Here is simple volts and amps to watts calculator, with short explanations, formulas, and charts.

Unit conversions sometimes can be difficult, but with most basic electric units like the voltage, current, and power, things are almost always very simple. Almost always...

Updated: August 13, 2022.

50 Amp Generator Cord

50 Amps generator cord is used to connect power generators with NEMA 120/240V 50A 14-50R receptacle and RVs and other vehicles, boats, off-the-grid, and other installations utilizing the 50 Amp receptacles, usually SS2-50R or 14-50R receptacles.

50 Amps generator cords are heavy-duty cords, usually made using pure copper wires coated with a heavy-duty flame retardant, heat, and UV resistant PVC. Such construction provides excellent protection from rain, wind, snow, soil, sand, rocks, etc.

Published: August 13, 2022.

Top 5 Best 50 Amp Portable Generators - 50 Amp RV Generators

Portable generators with 120/240V 50A (14-50R) plug and the list of other ports (L14-30R, L5-30R, 5-20R, 12VDC, etc.) are large, sturdy, and powerful units, capable of providing plenty of energy over a longer period of time.

50 Amp portable generators are often used as RV generators, camping generators, in emergencies, on construction sites, and similar. They are usually powered by gas or gas/propane combination (dual-fuel models), with some larger industrial/commercial models featuring diesel engines.

Updated: August 13, 2022.

20 Amp Wire Size: What Size Wire For 20 Amp Circuit

20 Amp wires are often used for household outlets, extension cords, and similar applications, where the circuit must be strong enough to power one larger or a few smaller tools and/or appliances, with the maximum current through the wires of 20 Amps.

However, when calculating the right wire thickness, one has to consider safety measures, wire length, type and material, and a few more details.

Published: August 12, 2022.

Best Portable 10000 Watt Generator

Portable 10000 watt generators are strong and durable units, being able to provide plenty of power, over a longer period of time and are used in commercial and residential applications to power a broad range of tools and appliances.

Most 10000 watt generators are dual-fuel units, although some industrial units are gas-only generators. Also, some brands offer tri-fuel power generators, helping the users find suitable fuel even in emergencies and longer blackouts.

Updated: August 12, 2022.

Best Portable 1000 Watt Power Generator

Portable 1000 watt generators are a group of rather compact and lightweight power generators that are commonly used during blackouts, in emergencies, and in other off-the-grid applications for residential and commercial use.

Although sometimes underestimated due to their dimensions and limited power and other options, a properly maintained 1000 watt power generator can be a real life-saver in many situations.

Updated: August 12, 2022.

12 Gauge Wire (12/2 Wire, 12/3 Wire, 12/4 Wire) Ampacity: How Many Amps Can 12 Gauge Wire Safely Handle?

12 gauge wire is a very popular wire thickness used for speakers, extension cords, home, and car electric installations, and for all other applications where a wire must safely handle 10-20 Amps current.

However, current carrying ability differs depending on the maximum allowed wire temperature, wire length, and similar.

Updated: August 8, 2022.

8 Gauge Wire (8/2 Wire, 8/3 Wire, 8/4 Wire): How Many Amps Can 8 Gauge Wire Handle

8 gauge wire is a very popular wire commonly often used for applications requiring wire that can handle dozens of Amps with minimal energy losses.

However, the Ampacity of the wire depends on the wire thickness, but also it depends on the wire length, maximum wire surface temperature, wire material, wire construction, etc.

Updated: August 8, 2022.

14 Gauge Wire (14/2 Wire, 14/3 Wire, 14/4 Wire) Amps: How Thick is 14 Gauge Wire?

14 Gauge Wires are commonly used for powering devices that don't require too strong currents. Also, 14 gauge wires are sometimes used for wall power outlets, but their Ampacity or current load carrying ability tells us that they should generally not be used for such purpose.

But, for many other applications, 14 gauge wires are the ideal thickness due to their combination of thickness, price, and Ampacity.

Updated: August 6, 2022.

10 Gauge Wire (10/2 Wire, 10/3 Wire, 10/4 Wire): How Many Amps Can 10 Gauge Wire Handle?

10 gauge wire is a very popular wire thickness, often used for speakers, extension cords, home wiring, and other electric systems where wires can handle 20-30 Amps.

However, actual current carrying ability (Ampacity) also depends on the wire length, maximum wire surface temperature, and similar.

Update: August 6, 2022.

6 Gauge Wire Amps: 6/2 Wire vs. 6/3 Wire vs. 6/4 Wire

6 gauge wires are often used in marine, residential, and even industrial applications where a medium-sized wire is required to transfer plenty of energy without significant energy losses.

Since the requirements of such applications differ, so do the 6 gauge wires differ in the wire and insulation material, wire construction, and similar.

Published: August 6, 2022.

Quick Guide to Electrical Wire Color Codes

Electrical wires differ in many details, including wire type, material, thickness, number of wires in the cable, insulation type and thickness, etc.

When building an electrical system, it is very important to follow the electrical installation diagram/schematics - in order to differentiate wires in electrical systems, wires come in different colors, and knowing which color goes where is of utmost importance.

Published: August 6, 2022.

How Many LED Lights Can You Run On a 15 Amp Circuit?

LED light bulbs are much more energy efficient than older incandescent lights. Actually, LED light bulbs produce much more light for the same amount of spent energy that many manufacturers emphasize the wattage of equivalent incandescent light bulbs more than the actual wattage of the LED light bulb.

Although the user can run more LED light bulbs on the same circuit than incandescent bulbs, it is a good idea to calculate how many LED lights a user can actually run on the same electric circuit, for example, 15 Amp circuit.

Published: August 3, 2022.

Will a 2000-Watt Generator Run an Air Conditioner?

Many people wonder what is the required size of the power generator in order to run an air conditioner without any power issues.

2000-watt inverter generators are popular, compact, and affordable portable units that are used in many situations, leading to the question, will a 2000 watt generator run an air conditioner in the case of a power outage?

Published: July 23, 2022.

100 Amp Wire Size: What Size Wire Do I Need For 100 Amp Service/Sub-Panel

100 Amps is a very serious current requiring thick wires in order to keep the energy losses to an acceptable level and to keep the wire surface temperature below the maximum allowed temperature.

The thickness of the wire depends on the wire material, conduit size, and maximum allowed energy losses/wire surface temperature, but it can also depend on other details, as well. Personally, if You are going to service or add 100 Amp service, consult or hire a certified electrician, regardless of whether You need a permit for such works or not.

Published: July 12, 2022.

If You Have Solar Panels, Do You Need a Power Generator?

From time to time, we get questions like this one - people wonder if they need a power generator if they have solar panels installed and hooked up.

And the best of all, such questions ask homeowners, RV enthusiasts, and even campers, each one describing their own setup.

So, here are our answers regarding solar panels and power generator combinations.

Published: July 5, 2022.

Box Fan Wattage: How Many Watts and Amps Does a Box Fan Use?

Box fans are a very popular type of cooling fans, ranging from small, just a few inches in size units suitable for DIY cooling and ventilation projects, to 20+ inches box fans suitable for larger rooms and smaller spaces.

Since box fans may operate for hours, day after day, many people wonder how much does a box fan cost to run.

Updated: June 24, 2022.

Speaker Wire Guide: How To Choose The Right Gauge

Speaker wires are intended to transfer the signal and energy from the audio amplifiers to the speakers, hence their name. Speaker wires differ in material, construction, thickness, and a few other features which can be rather different.

Speaker wire consists of two or sometimes more identical electrical conductors with different markings in order to identify themselves more easily. Correctly sized speaker wire has very little effect on the audio signal quality despite the claims by some wire manufacturers which often use technical terms like "skin effect", "impedance", "resonance", etc. in order to confuse and impress end users.

Published: June 22, 2022.

40 Amp Wire Size: What Wire Size Is Needed For A 40 Amp Breaker/Fuse

40 Amp wires are commonly used in homes, RVs, boats, off-the-grid, and similar electric installations.

When calculating the required wire thickness, there are a few important rules that must be taken into consideration. Also, with such currents, one should never go cheap, because, sooner or later, thin and weak wires will cause plenty of issues.

Published: June 15, 2022.

Best 1500 Watt Pure Sine Wave Power Inverters

Pure sine power inverters provide smooth and stable AC voltage with very low Total Harmonic Distortions (THD) allowing them to power even sensitive electronics, devices, gadgets, and similar loads, but also various tools and appliances that can handle both modified sine wave and pure sine wave power inverters.

1500 Watt pure sine wave power inverters are able to power most home tools and appliances, just be sure that the continuous power and surge power of connected loads fit within the limits of the power inverter being used.

Published: June 13, 2022.

Does A Surge Protector or a UPS Protect Against Lightning?

In order to protect electronics and other devices from power surges, many people use power surges and Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) to connect devices to wall power sockets.

But, while such units may very well protect the electronic devices from internal and even external power surges, people want to know if surge protectors and UPSs can protect the devices from lightning strikes.

Published: June 9, 2022.

Top 1000 Watt Pure Sine Wave Power Inverters

1000 Watt power inverters are a very popular inverter class commonly used to power various loads during emergencies, when camping, tailgating, etc. These loads include lights, smaller tools, and home appliances, various chargers, security and medical systems, etc.

1000 Watt power inverters are relatively affordable units - pure sine wave inverters do cost a little bit more than modified wave power inverters, but they can be used to power even sensitive devices and equipment, justifying the price difference.

Published: June 4, 2022.

What is the Difference Between a Surge, a Spike, a Sag, a Brownout, and a Blackout?

For electric and especially electronic devices it is very important that the power supply is "clean", without over-voltages and under-voltages, but also that the AC power features pure sine waveform with minimum Total Harmonic Distortions (THD).

Words like surge, spike, sad, brownout, and blackout are often used to describe events on the power line, but what do they actually mean?

Published: May 24, 2022.

What Can You Run on a 2000 Watt Generator?

2000 watt generators are a very popular class of power generators, featuring acceptable price, long runtime on a single gas tank, quiet operation, simple maintenance etc., and are thus often used for camping, boating, fishing trips, in RVs, etc. Also, they are often used in emergencies.

Thus, many people wonder what household appliances their 2000 watt power generators may run and for how long.

Published: May 13, 2022.

Can a Bad Alternator Ruin a Battery

Alternators and batteries are vital parts of cars, boats, RVs, and other electric systems, and issues with one component may cause additional issues with other components of such systems.

Since the battery charge level in such systems depends on the proper operation of the alternator and its charge controller, people wonder if a bad alternator can ruin a battery.

Published: May 13, 2022.

30 Amp Wire Size: What Wire Size Is Needed For A 30 Amp Breaker

Properly dimensioning wires for 30 Amps currents is vital when powering high-power tools, appliances, and devices, but also 30 Amps RVs, and similar loads.

Properly calculated wires transfer power without excess energy losses and without heating too much. Having thicker wires can help, but it is not always feasible to just put very thick wires and to hope for the best.

Published: May 6, 2022.

12V 12Ah Lead-Acid and Lithium Rechargeable Batteries

12V 12Ah lead-acid and lithium batteries are highly popular deep-cycle rechargeable batteries often used for powering UPS devices, security systems, medical equipment, toys, scooters, and other smaller electric vehicles, fish finders, and similar.

12V 12Ah batteries are relatively compact devices and with the introduction of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries, very lightweight batteries that support a large number of charging/discharging cycles. But, Sealed Lead-Acid (SLA) 12V 12Ah batteries are still in demand due to their certain advantages over lithium counterparts.

Published: May 5, 2022.

60 Amp Wire Size - How to Calculate Proper Wire Gauge

60 Amps is a serious current, regardless if it is used to power 12V or 24V electric trolling motors or it is used in 120/230V electric systems to power homes, RVs, workshops, and similar.

When calculating proper wire thickness, there are a few important things to consider. But, whatever You do, safety first. And don't go cheap - going cheap with such currents can easily sooner or later backfire.

Published: May 2, 2022.

Which Are Better Silver-Oxide or Alkaline Batteries?

Silver-oxide and alkaline button/coin cells feature exactly the same dimensions and very similar nominal voltage, but they differ in capacity, self-discharge rate, operating temperature range, etc.

Many devices powered by button/coin cells come with alkaline batteries and many people wonder if they can be replaced with silver-oxide batteries...

Published: April 29, 2022.

Best 12V and 24V Lithium Trolling Motor Batteries

Lithium electric trolling motor batteries offer many advantages over lead-acid batteries, including lightweight design, a large number of charging/discharging cycles, a very low self-discharge rate, more constant output voltage, almost no capacity loss with the current increase, etc.

Also, lithium trolling batteries still have some issues, like high initial price and safety concerns. For safety reasons, lithium trolling motor batteries are almost exclusively Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄) batteries featuring built-in Battery Management Systems (BMS), protecting the battery from unwanted events like short circuit, overcharge, over-discharge, and similar.

Updated: April 27, 2022.

What Size Generator for 30 Amp RV?

Camping can be a lot of fun as long as one has enough power to run an AC unit, fridge, TV and multimedia set, microwave, or any other similar appliance and device.

30 Amp RVs are very popular and affordable vehicles and can be hooked to the mains power in any camp. But, what when You find yourself in a remote location with no mains power present? The answer is simple - hook up a good RV 30 Amp generator and enjoy your camping ...

Updated: April 17, 2022.

Solar Panel Size: How To Calculate Solar Panel, Battery, and Inverter

Solar panels, solar batteries, charge controller, and inverter must be properly dimensioned in order to provide the user with enough power and energy when required, regardless if the system is used only in emergencies or blackouts, or as an off-the-grid power system.

When calculating the performances of the power inverter, solar battery, and solar panels, some assumptions must be taken regarding the efficiency of solar panels, required energy, average and peak power, and similar. However, one also must be aware that over-dimensioning certain components can increase their price significantly.

Published: April 11, 2022.

Best Lead-Acid and Lithium 1 kWh Solar, Marine, Automotive, and Light Industrial Batteries

Lead-acid and lithium 12V batteries with a nominal capacity of 85-100+ Ah are able to store plenty of energy and deliver at least 1000 kWh of energy when discharged under certain conditions.

Unlike lithium batteries, lead-acid deep cycle batteries are very susceptible to high discharge currents in terms of capacity and energy loss. Hence, most of the modern solar and similar systems that require deep-discharge batteries that cycle a lot are based on lithium batteries.

Published: April 11, 2022.

How Many Solar Panels Do I Need For 1000 kWh Per Month?

Solar energy can help us lower Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) emissions, it "just" has to be collected in the most efficient way possible in order to lower expenses, and to make the installation of solar panels and the required electronics as compact and easy as possible.

The collection of 1000 kWh per month using solar panels is not an easy task, but it can be done with sufficient solar panel surface and a few more important components.

Published: April 9, 2022.

Car Battery Weight: How Much Does A Car Battery Weigh?

Cars and other vehicles come in various sizes and types, so do their batteries differ in size, type, chemistry, and a few more details, including, of course, their weight.

While car battery weight doesn't influence, at least not by much, performances of most passenger cars, SUVs, RVs, and similar, racing cars benefit from any weight savings. For this and many other reasons, people often ask how much does a car battery weigh.

Published: April 8, 2022.

How To Activate A Conventional and How to Activate An AGM Lead-Acid Battery

Conventional (wet/flooded) and AGM lead-acid batteries can be Factory Activated (FA) batteries, but also some manufacturers offer Bottle Supplied (BS) batteries - dry batteries with their electrolyte stored in special plastic battery containers, ready to be added to cells just before the very first use.

Although Factory Activated batteries are simpler to use, Bottle Supplied (BS) batteries have a longer shelf life and very often longer operating life.

Published: April 6, 2022.

What Does A BS Mean On A Motorcycle Battery?

A label of a motorcycle or Powersports battery usually contains the battery brand, the battery size/group, and often ends with the letters "BS".

While battery brand and the battery size/group are self-explanatory, many people wonder what this "BS" stands for ...

Published: April 6, 2022.

Why Does My Car Battery Keep Dying?

Depending on the car use, climate, the battery quality, the quality of the car's battery charging system, and a few other things, the car battery may last on average 2-5 years, after which, it should be replaced with a new one.

Before the battery fails, it may show a few signs of impeding failure. However, from time to time, the car battery fails much more often than the typical every 2-5 years and people wonder why?

Published: April 4, 2022.

50 Amp Wire Size - Calculate Proper Wire Gauge/Thickness

50 Amp is a very common current requirement we need proper wires for, especially at home, in the RVs, boats, cars, etc. While transferred power depends on the voltage applied to the circuit, energy efficiency and cable temperature depend on the wire thickness and its electrical resistance.

When calculating proper wire thickness and circuit breaker, there are a few important things to consider. But, whatever You do, safety first.

Published: April 1, 2022.

Can You Jump Start A Car Safely In The Rain?

Most cars and trucks feature 12V DC electric systems and onboard batteries or battery packs that are used, among other tasks, for cranking the main engine used for propulsion.

However, from time to time, batteries tend to fail for various reasons and those failures don't always happen on a clear, sunny day. On a contrary, when things go bad, usually more than one thing goes bad, raising the question if one can safely jump-start a car in the rain?

Published: March 28, 2022.

Do Motorcycles Have Alternators?

Alternators are electric generators that transform mechanical energy into electric energy in the form of alternate current, hence their name.

Alternators are commonly found in cars, where they are used for charging the onboard battery which is in turn used to start the engine and power other electric loads. But the question remains - do motorcycles have alternators?

Published: March 28, 2022.

Do Electric Cars Have Alternators?

Electric cars use energy stored in the onboard battery for powering their electric motors used for driving and for powering all other devices found in cars.

Alternators are a very important piece of electric systems of modern cars with internal combustion systems and are used for generating electric power required for charging the battery, starting the main engine, powering lights, fans, and all other electric loads. So, one may easily ask oneself, do electric cars have alternators?

Published: March 28, 2022.

How Many Ah is a Car Battery?

Car batteries differ in size, capacity, BCI group, type, and a few more details, just as cars differ in size, type of engine, engine size, and similar.

The capacity of the car battery is given in Ah (Amp-hours) and mostly varies between 35Ah and 100Ah, although there are even smaller, but also larger batteries or battery packs used in modern cars.

Published: March 23, 2023.

12V 1000Ah Lithium, AGM, and Gel-Cell Deep Cycle Batteries Comparison

12V 1000Ah lithium, AGM and Gel-Cell deep cycle batteries (or battery packs) are able to store huge amounts of energy and release it when required.

Such battery packs can be used for electric vehicles and boats, off-the-grid batteries, solar batteries, backup batteries, medical and security devices, and similar.

However, lithium, AGM and Gel-Cell batteries differ in many features, including weight, the number of supported charging/discharging cycles, charging and discharging currents, etc. - all of which have their own pros and cons ...

Published: March 17, 2022.

LiPo 2S Battery 101: All About LiPo 2S Batteries

Lithium Polymer batteries, also known as LiPo or Lipo batteries are a special type of rechargeable lithium batteries that feature electrolytes in the form of polymer gel, and in their basic form, they are soft to touch.

LiPo 2S batteries feature two LiPo batteries connected in series in order to provide larger voltage, commonly 7.4V. As such, they are commonly used as sources of strong currents in various applications, including RC cars, RC boats, RC trucks, and other toys, but also applications like robotics and similar.

Published: March 9, 2022.

12V 7Ah Rechargeable Batteries - Features, Dimensions, and Cross Reference Chart

12V 7Ah batteries are very popular deep cycle and general-purpose batteries, commonly used for powering medical equipment, security systems, UPS and other emergency systems, toys, scooters, fish finders, etc.

For a long time, 12V 7Ah batteries were built only as Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries. In recent times, deep cycle Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄) batteries are offering great weight savings, a larger number of supported charging/discharging cycles, etc. But, SLA AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) batteries are still going on strong.

Published: March 7, 2022.

Solar Powered TV: How Many Solar Panels To Run a TV

During blackouts and in emergencies, running a TV, lights, communication devices, and similar appliances and devices help one to endure tough times, waiting for a "normal" to return.

Running a TV via solar panels ensures an almost endless source of power when the system is set properly. Thus, many people wonder how many solar panels are needed in order to run a TV...

Published: February 2, 2022.

Non-Rechargeable vs. Rechargeable Hearing Aid Batteries: Size 10, 312, 13, 675 Hearing Aid Batteries

Non-Rechargeable (disposable) zinc-air batteries have been standard hearing aid batteries for a long time. They have replaced older mercury-oxide batteries and after introducing mercury-free zinc-air batteries, they have become de facto standard for hearing aid batteries.

However, rechargeable batteries are being used more and more in everyday electronics, and as such, they are slowly entering the hearing aid market as well. But, there are several very important issues that rechargeable batteries face when being used as hearing aid batteries...

Updated: February 2, 2022.

Solar Powered Air Conditioner: How Many Solar Panels To Run an AC Unit

Running an air conditioner unit during blackouts, in emergencies, when camping, and in other similar situations when the mains power is not available, requires solar panels to collect the energy, a battery pack to store the energy, and some form of power inverter that will convert chemical energy in batteries into electricity suitable for powering AC units and hopefully few other smaller loads like lights, TV and similar.

As heating and cooling devices, modern air conditioners are very effective and they require less energy than air conditioners just a few years ago. Nonetheless, it is vital to know the exact power and energy requirements of your AC unit.

Published: February 2, 2022.

Best 12V 300Ah and 400Ah Lithium Deep Cycle Batteries

12V 300Ah and 400Ah lithium deep cycle batteries are becoming more and more popular for powering electric vehicles, trolling motors, as RV house batteries, as off-the-grid batteries, as inverter batteries, etc.

With their huge capacity, relatively lightweight construction, a large number of supported charging/discharging cycles, these batteries can directly support loads and energy requirements that were impossible to meet with much heavier lead-acid batteries just a few years ago.

Published: February 1, 2022.

8 Volt Lithium and Lead-Acid Golf Cart Batteries

Lead-acid and lithium batteries are both made in BCI Groups GC2/GC2H (6 Volt) and GC12 (12 Volt) sizes, but what about BCI Group GC8/GC8H (8 Volt) batteries? Are there 8 Volt lithium and/or lead-acid golf cart batteries?

Here is our attempt to answer this question and to clarify a few things about not only lithium golf cart batteries, but about lithium batteries in general.

Updated: February 1, 2022.

Battery Operated Heater - Can a Battery Power a Tent or RV Heater?

Space heaters are commonly used for heating tents, RVs, offices, rooms, cars, and even homes and apartments. They directly convert chemical or electrical energy into heat, warming up the desired area. Since space heaters directly convert chemical energy into heat, they are simple, reliable, and rather affordable, but also they are not as efficient as, for example, Air Conditioning units.

Battery-operated heaters can be of great help when camping or being off-the-grid by keeping You warm during long, cold days and nights. Right? Well, things are not that simple ...

Updated: January 31, 2022.

Best DuroMax Power Generators

DuroMax power generators are very popular power generators, offering good performances at affordable prices, sometimes at the cost of somewhat larger weight and higher noise.

But, with the introduction of newer DuroMax power generators (for example, iH, HX, DX, and similar models), DuroMax power generators offer reliable, safe, and relatively easy to use and maintain power generators at acceptable prices that fit the needs of various users.

Published: January 27, 2022.

Watts to BTU and BTU to Watts Conversions

Watts to BTU and BTU to Watts conversions are commonly required when calculating the power of devices that are used for air heating and cooling, like various AC units and electric heaters.

'Slight' issue is the fact that BTU is a unit of energy, while watts are a unit of power, and they can't directly be converted.

Updated: January 25, 2022.

What Size Generator Do I Need To Run Refrigerator And Freezer?

During blackouts and in emergencies, running most essential appliances like refrigerators and freezers is important for keeping the food fresh and edible until the blackout is over.

A large enough generator can power not only refrigerators and freezers but other home appliances including lights, TV, communication devices, and similar, helping people endure the emergency more easily. But, how large generator is large enough?

Published: January 25, 2022.

How Many Batteries Is Needed For 3000 Watt Power Inverter

3000-watt power inverters are a very popular class of power inverters used during blackouts, emergencies, camping, for off-the-grid, medical and security systems, and similar.

Most 3000-watt power inverters are very simple to use, however, dimensioning required batteries or battery packs can cause some issues in terms of reliability and runtime.

Published: January 24, 2022.

How Many Amps Does a 1000 Watt Inverter Draw?

1000 Watt inverters are a very popular class of power inverters suitable for use even with car batteries, at least for shorter periods of time.

With 1000 continuous watts and often 1500-2000 surge watts, 1000 watt inverters are suitable for powering smaller devices, tools, gadgets, and appliances. However, many people wonder what is the actual load on the battery in terms of the current draw.

Published: January 22, 2022.

How to Extend the Life of the Car Battery

Car batteries are still mostly lead-acid batteries, designed for strong power surges, required when cranking the car's engine.

On average, car batteries last 2-5 years, although there are examples of good, well-maintained batteries that lasted longer, much longer. So, what's their secret?

Updated: January 14, 2022.

How Many Amps is a Car Battery - Car Battery Amps?

Knowing your car's battery amps and other features is very important not only when replacing the battery, but also when the battery is being used not only for cranking purposes but also for powering other electric and electronic systems like lights, navigation, multimedia devices, security systems, etc.

With more and more onboard systems, car manufacturers are slowly replacing pure starting batteries with the new dual-purpose AGM batteries, featuring many improvements over older flooded ones.

Updated: January 14, 2022.

How to Recondition a Car Battery?

Most cars still use lead-acid batteries of some kind - wet/flooded, AGM or even Gel-cells, but these batteries over time lose their capacity and the ability to start the engine.

Since quality car batteries are not cheap, many people wonder how they can recondition a car battery at home. Reconditioning car batteries at home can be done successfully, but this also depends on the battery type, its use, age, current condition and similar.

Updated: January 14, 2022.

How To Charge a Car Battery

The dead car battery may be a rather annoying experience, especially when we are in hurry. But, it can happen to anyone, even with modern cars that regularly do self-tests of most systems, and warn the users if something is out of required range.

If the car battery is discharged enough, it is unable to crank the engine, but that doesn't mean that the battery is "dead" and that it must be replaced with a new one.

Updated: January 14, 2022.

Best Car Battery Chargers and Maintainers

Batteries for cars, trucks, RVs, boats, and other vehicles lose the charge over time due to the battery age, weather, battery self-discharge, parasite drain, or simply because lights or some similar load was left turned On.

While jump starters can help one crank the engine quickly, battery chargers can recharge the discharged battery and even can bring the dead battery back to life.

Also, when leaving a car or other vehicle for a longer period of time, it is a good practice to leave the battery connected to the battery maintainer in order to keep the battery fully charged even for months to come.

Published: January 13, 2022.

Wrist Watch Battery Replacement Chart - Watch Battery Repair

Wrist watches are commonly powered using one or rarely two button/coin cell batteries, and these batteries have a limited operating lifetime. When replacing an old battery with the new one, the best practice is to use batteries recommended by the watch manufacturers.

However, finding the exact type and model can be sometimes confusing due to the different labels some battery brands are using for their batteries. Also, using silver-oxide instead of alkaline batteries can prolong the watch operating time on a single battery.

Updated: January 5, 2022.

CMOS Battery Dead? How to Replace the CMOS Battery

Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) battery is a small, mostly button/coin cell battery that provides power to the small memory that stores information about the BIOS settings.

When the CMOS battery dies, BIOS resets its setting, including date, hard drive settings, boot order, etc., and in many situations, OS can't load properly.

When something like that happens, the only course of action is to replace the CMOS battery.

Published: January 3, 2022.

How to Change the Battery in the Key Fob - Key Fob Battery Replacement

When the key fob starts to react more slowly and when it requires to be near the car in order to open it, it is time to replace the key fob battery.

Key fobs almost exclusively feature lithium button/coin cells which feature long shelf life, stable output voltage, and are able to provide relatively strong current pulses required by the internal key fob electronics.

And for most cars, the key fob battery can be replaced at home with minimum additional tasks required afterward.

Published: December 31, 2021.

Hand Crank Generators

Hand crank generators provide power to the most basic equipment in emergencies - radios and radio beacons, smartphones, navigation lights, jump starters, power banks, and similar.

Hand crank generators are able to provide from just a few watts to tens of watts of power and they are mostly suitable for charging USB charged devices. While larger pedal-powered manual power generators are able to provide 2-3 Amps @12V continuously, they would require up to 10 hours to charge the 12V battery with 25-30Ah and as such, they are not the best solution for charging the main car/boat battery in an emergency.

Published: December 20, 2021.

What Is The Best 12 Volt Lithium Battery?

12-volt lithium batteries are becoming more and more common in various deep cycle applications thanks to their lightweight design, excellent deep cycle performances, a large number of charging/discharging cycles, etc., and are being offered in various sizes with different features by the ever-increasing number of companies.

The list of 12V lithium batteries suitable for use as off-the-grid, RV, trolling, golf cart, etc. batteries is quite long, but there are few models that have distinguished themselves among the others due to their features, but also, the price.

Published: December 16, 2021.

48V Lithium Golf Cart Batteries

48V lithium golf cart batteries offer many benefits including some serious weight savings, more efficient battery chemistry, a larger number of charging/discharging cycles, faster charging, longer range, etc.

However, the price of 48V lithium golf cart batteries is higher than the price of the 48V lead-acid golf cart battery pack - at least in the beginning. In the long run, 48V lithium batteries save both money and time ...

Updated: December 16, 2021.

AAA Battery vs AAAA Battery

AAA and AAAA batteries are rather similar cylindrical batteries, commonly used for powering toys, tools, gadgets, flashlights, remote controls, photo equipment, security devices, etc.

Although AAA and AAAA batteries feature similar physical dimensions, AAA batteries are somewhat larger and thanks to their size, they feature larger capacity and are capable of providing stronger currents, making AAA batteries more common than AAAA batteries.

Published: December 14, 2021.

Convert Watt-Hours to Amp-Hours and Amp-Hours to Watt-Hours

Watt-hours (Wh) and Amp-hours (Ah) are two very common units in electrical engineering - simplified, Watt-hours is the unit of energy, while Amp-hours is the unit of battery capacity.

Direct conversion from Watt-hours to Amp-hours and from Amp-hours to Watt-hours is not possible without introducing the third unit - nominal and/or actual voltage of the electricity source, mostly battery.

Published: December 13, 2021.

How Many Amps is 2000 Watts - 2000 Watts to Amps

Conversion from Amps to Watts cannot be done directly without introducing the third unit - volts.

That's why when somebody asks how many Amps is 2000 Watts, one has to respond with the question "at what volts?".

Published: December 9, 2021.

What Does Ah Mean on a Battery?

In order to describe features and specifications of the batteries, certain measurement units are used, including the unit for capacity - Ampere Hour or abbreviated Ah.

Other most common units are voltage (V), Cold Cranking Amps (CCA, given in Amps), Cranking Amps (CA, given in Amps) also known as Marine Cranking Amps (MCA), Reserve Capacity (RC, given in minutes), dimensions (given in inches, centimeters, millimeters), etc. But, often the very first parameter of the battery that is being checked is nonetheless the battery's - capacity.

Published: December 9, 2021.

Best Quiet Camping Generators

Being off-the-grid doesn't necessarily mean being without electric power and without all devices, appliances, and gadgets that are run by electricity.

Camping generators provide electric power to run appliances like refrigerators, lights, TVs, fans, even AC units, but they also have their own features and limitations.

Published: December 7, 2021.

Unit Conversion: How to Convert Horsepower to Kilowatts (HP to kW) and Kilowatts to Horsepower (kW to HP)

Unit conversions in electrical engineering are very important, it is relatively easy, but it can also cause many problems when planning or troubleshooting systems.

Horsepower to kilowatts (HP to kW) and kilowatts to horsepower (kW to HP) conversions are very important when the energy and power of internal combustion engines are compared or transferred between energy and power of electric motors, pumps, winches, inverters, and other devices being powered by electric energy.

Updated: December 7, 2021.

Best Portable Quietest Generator

Power generators are used when electric power is needed and mains power is not present - when camping, tailgating, in emergencies, and similar.

One of the very important features of power generators is - noise level. A loud power generator can be very annoying, especially when working for a longer period of time. On the other hand, a quiet power generator is a robust and reliable, but almost silent unit, giving peace of mind in more ways than just one ...

Updated: December 5, 2021.

How Long Does a Car Battery Last?

This simple question requires rather a complicated answer in order to answer it thoroughly.

But for short, a car battery should last at least 2-5 years. Car battery lifespan depends on the battery type and quality of design and construction, battery maintenance, alternator/charger design and quality, environment, driving habits, battery usage, etc.

Published: December 3, 2021.

Pick the Best 1000 CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) Marine, Automotive, and Industrial Battery

Marine, automotive and industrial batteries are designed to operate in tough conditions due to vibrations and other mechanical stress. They must be able to power various electric and electronic devices and when the main engine must be started, they must be able to provide large currents in order to start large, often multiple gasoline or even diesel engines even when not fully charged. Such requirements significantly reduce the number of potential 1000 CCA marine, automotive, and industrial battery models.

CCA (Cold Cranking Amps), CA (Cranking Amps) or MCA (Marine Cranking Amps), and HCA (Hot Cranking Amps) define the maximum current that a battery is able to provide under certain conditions.

Updated: November 27, 2021.

Car Electrical System Guide: How Does a Car Electrical System Work?

A car electrical system consists of a few general components that are shared among all the car brands, but it can also have a few add-ons that may be very specific.

The car's electrical system ensures proper operation of the car and any malfunction of its components can stop the car. Fortunately, there are few warning signs that allow the user to predict when will the malfunction occur.

Published: November 25, 2021.

How to Jump-Start a Car Without Another Car?

When the car battery is discharged or even dead, it can't start the car's engine - it is simple as that. Jump starting a discharged/dead car battery with another car using jumper cables is relatively simple and straightforward, but what if don't have another car nearby?

In that case, there are several options that one can do, including push start the car, using another battery, using a car jump starter, and similar. However, whatever You do, safety first!

Published: November 15, 2021.

18650 Battery vs 2x CR123A Batteries vs 3x AAA Batteries

At first, 18650, CR123A and AAA batteries are very different cylindrical batteries - they differ in physical dimensions, chemistries, nominal voltages, capacities, discharge characteristics and also have other features that differ significantly.

Nonetheless, having a device that supports two or more battery types allows the user to choose the best battery (or batteries) according to the intended use of the device or, in emergencies, allows the user greater freedom in finding at least "some" kind of battery in order to power the device.

Published: October 30, 2021.

How to Choose the Best Trolling Motor Battery

With all the available battery models and brands on the market, finding a suitable trolling motor battery often can be a daunting task, but it shouldn't be.

But before getting a new battery or battery pack, one should first write down a few things, including the size and weight of the boat, motor strength, required trolling time, and of course, the funds allocated for the new trolling motor battery.

Updated: October 29, 2021.

3xAA Batteries vs 32650 Battery

AA and 32650 batteries differ in size and very often in chemistry, having different discharge voltages, capacities, drain currents, shelf lives, and similar.

However, when three AA batteries are placed next to each other, their physical dimensions are similar to a single 32650 battery, making people wonder if three AA batteries may be used instead of a single 32650 battery.

Published: October 27, 2021.

Battery Terms and Abbreviations - Glossary

When describing batteries and their features and characteristics, many abbreviations are used.

Knowing their meanings is very important because that is the difference between getting the right battery and the wrong battery. And the wrong battery often can cause much more damage than its money worth ...

Updated: October 22, 2021.

100Ah Lithium Battery - 12V, 24V, 36V, and 48V Batteries

High-capacity, ultralight, deep cycle 100Ah lithium batteries are a popular choice for many applications including off-the-grid applications, as trolling motor batteries, electric vehicles, standby and backup systems, security and medical systems, etc.

Although lithium batteries are available in various chemistries, 100Ah lithium batteries are almost exclusively offered as Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄) batteries, offering good performances without sacrificing safety.

However, if not used and treated properly, even LiFePO₄ batteries may become a safety hazard...

Published: October 22, 2021.

The Best AGM and Lithium RV Deep Cycle Battery

Deep cycle batteries for recreational vehicles (RVs) have a very important purpose - they power onboard electronics and electrical devices while the vehicle's main motor is not working while being off the grid. RV deep cycle batteries must tolerate deep discharge conditions and cyclic use, but they also must be resistant to vibrations, high and low temperatures, no usage for a long time (sometimes for months), etc.

And since these batteries are far from being cheap, it is really important to choose them properly, according to the individual needs and requirements.

Updated: October 18, 2021.

NiCd, NiMH, and Lithium Rechargeable AA Batteries

AA batteries are some of the most popular battery types commonly used in a broad range of devices, tools, toys, and other applications.

While non-rechargeable AA batteries feature nominal voltage of more or less constant 1.5 volts, rechargeable AA batteries feature nominal voltage of 1.2 to 3.7 volts, and are offered in a large number of chemistries, raising various questions, among others, which rechargeable AA battery is compatible with non-rechargeable AA batteries?

Published: October 15, 2021.

LiPo 4S Battery 101: All About LiPo 4S Batteries

Lithium Polymer (LiPo or Li-Po) rechargeable batteries consisting of 4 cells connected in series are most commonly known as LiPo 4S batteries and are very popular high-discharge batteries used in various remote-controlled (RC) toys, RC trucks, and other RC vehicles, RC planes, in FPV applications and other applications where a lightweight power source is required that is able to provide plenty of power.

Published: October 12, 2021.

What's Ah in Battery - Battery Ah Meaning

From time to time, people ask us what does Ah mean on a battery - well, Ah or Amp-Hours is a unit of capacity that describes how much current a battery can provide under certain conditions.

While some batteries feature capacity in hundreds and thousands of Amp-Hours, smaller batteries feature capacities that are measured in milli-Amp-Hours (mAh) or even micro-Amp-Hours (μAh).

Published: October 7, 2021.

How Long Will a 24V 200Ah Battery Last

24V 200Ah batteries or battery packs are able to store plenty of energy and release it when required. Such batteries are commonly used in off-the-grid applications, as RV house batteries, for electric vehicles, as inverter batteries, as trolling motor batteries, and similar.

24V 200Ah lead-acid batteries are rare - they are usually custom ordered or more commonly created by simply connecting two 12V 200Ah lead-acid batteries in series. On the other hand, 24V 200Ah lithium batteries are available on the market, they are lighter, support a larger number of charging and discharging cycles and while initially costing more than lead-acid batteries, lithium batteries in the long run actually save the money.

Published: September 28, 2021.

LiPo 6S Battery 101: All About LiPo 6S Batteries

Lithium Polymer batteries are a special type of lithium rechargeable batteries that feature electrolytes in the form of polymer gel. Also, they feature graphic anode and the cathode in the form of a Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LiCoO₂) or some similar material.

Lithium polymer 6S batteries, also known as LiPo 6S batteries pack some serious punch and should be handled with care and as recommended by their manufacturers.

Published: September 20, 2021.

1.5V AA and AAA Lithium Batteries

1.5V lithium batteries are not as common as 3.0+ volts lithium batteries, but their popularity is increasing over time. The main advantages of 1.5V lithium batteries over zinc-carbon and alkaline batteries are improved capacity especially for high-discharge applications, extra-long shelf life (20+ years) due to the very low self-discharge rate, wider operating temperature range, somewhat lower weight, etc.

Lithium 1.5V batteries are mostly based on the LiFeS₂ (Lithium Iron Disulfide) chemistry, although other versions are also possible, for example, Li-CuFeS₂ (Lithium Copper Iron Disulfide).

Rechargeable Lithium-ion (3.7V) and Lithium Iron Phosphate (3.2V) batteries are offered with built-in DC-DC converters with a very constant 1.5V output voltage, making them directly compatible with Zinc-Carbon and Alkaline 1.5V batteries, but also featuring 1000+ charging/discharging cycles.

Published: September 18, 2021.

Best 12V, 24V, 36V, and 48V Lithium Deep Cycle Battery For a Power Inverter

Power inverters convert DC power from the batteries into DC/AC power, allowing the users to use home appliances, tools, and other AC devices when AC power is not present during emergencies, blackouts, or simply while being off the grid.

Lithium deep cycle batteries are almost ideal battery type for such application since they tolerate deep discharge applications, support a large number of charging/discharging cycles, are lightweight, can be easily recharged, etc.

Published: September 17, 2021.

Types of Lithium Battery Chemistries

Lithium batteries feature different chemistries, hence they have different charging and discharging characteristics.

Most common lithium battery chemistries include Lithium Iron Disulfide (Li-FeS₂), Lithium Thionyl Chloride (Li-SOCl₂), Lithium Manganese Dioxide (Li-MnO₂), Lithium Carbon Monofluoride (Li-(CF)_x), Manganese Dioxide Lithium (MnO₂-Li), Vanadium Lithium, Cobalt Titanium Lithium, Lithium Titanium, Lithium Manganese Oxide (LiMn₂0₄, IMR), Lithium Manganese Nickel (LiNiMnCoO₂, INR), Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄, IFR), Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LiCoO₂, ICR), etc.

Published: September 15, 2021.

200Ah Lithium Battery - 12V, 24V, 36V and 48V Models

200Ah lithium batteries are able to store and release large amounts of energy and are often used as individual batteries or as part of larger battery packs for powering trolling motors, electric vehicles, as RV house batteries, as inverter batteries, as off-the-grid batteries, etc.

200Ah lithium batteries are deep cycle batteries based on the Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄) chemistry and can be found as 12V, 24V, 36V, and 48V batteries, but can be also custom made with even higher voltages.

Published: September 15, 2021.

LiPo 3S Battery 101: All About LiPo 3S Batteries

Lithium Polymer 3S batteries, also known as LiPo 3S batteries are lightweight and very powerful rechargeable lithium batteries. Lithium Polymer batteries feature electrolytes in the form of polymer gel with graphic anode and cathode in the form of a Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LiCoO2) or some similar material.

LiPo 3S batteries consist of 3 (three) LiPo cells connected in series, hence "3S". LiPo 3S batteries are commonly used in high-performance toys, drones, RC vehicles, and similar applications where high energy density is required, combined with high discharge currents.

Published: September 10, 2021.

Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) Battery Chemistry

A Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery is a rechargeable type of battery with a nominal voltage of 1.2V per cell. NiMH batteries use Nickel Oxide Hydroxide (NiOOH) at the positive electrode and hydrogen-absorbing alloy (hydride) at the negative electrode.

When compared with Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) batteries, NiMH batteries feature larger capacity, almost no memory effect, higher energy density, and support a larger number of charging/discharging cycles.

Published: September 9, 2021.

How Long Does an Inverter Battery Last?

Inverter battery is a deep cycle lead-acid or lithium battery or battery pack, providing DC electricity (12V, 24V, 36V, etc.) which is converted to AC electricity (mostly 110V or 220V) in order to provide power to various tools and appliances.

In order to calculate how long will an inverter battery last, one has to know inverter load, its efficiency, battery voltage, capacity, and discharge characteristics - perhaps it sounds a lot, but it is fairly simple ...

Published: August 26, 2021.

What is the Difference Between H7 and 94R Battery - H7 vs 94R

Having the battery of the proper size, chemistry, type, and performances can be a little bit problematic with different standards used across different continents and with globalization making the world smaller and smaller.

Thus, many people wonder what is the difference between H7 or L4 (DIN Codes) battery, 77L4 (EN Codes) battery, and 94R (BCI Group) battery...

Published: August 13, 2021.

Best Generac Inverter, Portable, and Home Standby Power Generators

Generac power generators range from small inverter generators being able to power just a few smaller home appliances to home standby units being able to power the entire home during the blackouts and to large, towed units being able to power even several homes or to provide energy even for larger construction sites.

Generac power generators are well-balanced units offering good performances at an acceptable price, but just like any other power generator, they must be also maintained properly in order to operate without issues.

Published: August 12, 2021.

H7 vs H8 Battery

H7 and H8 are battery labels (battery codes) according to the DIN standard and are more commonly used in Europe and rarely used in the US.

H7 and H8 batteries feature very similar, but nonetheless different dimensions, leading to the differences in performances.

Although the DIN (German Industrial Standard) Part Number system is (being) replaced by the ETN (European Type Number) which consists of 6 or 9 numbers, DIN codes H7 and H8 are still being used quite often.

Published: August 10, 2021.

How Long Does It Take To Charge The Motorcycle Battery

Motorcycle batteries are generally kept charged by the motorcycle onboard charging system, but from time to time, they get discharged due to the how weather which increases self-discharge rate, parasite loads like alarms, and similar systems, long periods of inactivity (winter, for example) and similar.

Properly recharging semi or even fully discharged motorcycle battery can prolong the battery's operating lifetime and avoid future issues due to the battery's inability to crank the engine when required.

Published: August 10, 2021.

Corroded Car Battery - How to Clean and Prevent It

Car battery corrosion is often underestimated issue, but it decreases the car's battery performance and its operating life. Also, a corroded car battery can damage the rest of the electrical wiring, car body, air conditioning, and other systems that are nearby.

Car battery terminal corrosion happens when the car battery vapors, consisting mostly of sulphuric acid and hydrogen, come in contact with the battery terminals (mostly led) and battery cabling (copper) under the car's hood, heated by the engine...

Published: August 6, 2021.

Lithium AA Battery - Rechargeable vs Non-Rechargeable AA Lithium Batteries

Lithium is a lightweight, rather reactive metal, and its chemistries are commonly used in batteries providing different features including voltage, capacity, shelf-life, drain current, and similar.

A typical AA battery is a 1.5 volts battery and with all the lithium chemistries in use, getting "the right one" may be a somewhat difficult task. But it shouldn't be ...

Published: August 5, 2021.

What Does STD, AGM, and Gel Mean On a Battery Charger

Older lead-acid battery chargers were simple, robust, and reliable and they did their job, more or less, good. Internally, they had just a transformer, a few diodes and capacitors, analog Ammeter and that was mostly all.

Modern smart battery chargers are microprocessor-controlled devices that come with many more features and options than the battery chargers just a few years ago - and all those features and options can lead to confusion, including labels like STD, AGM, Gel, Lithium, ENHC, Calcium, etc.

Published: August 3, 2021.

Best Smallest Portable Power Generator

Portable power generators range in output power from a few hundred watts to 10kW or even larger units.

Small and compact units are commonly used in residential areas, in emergencies, for camping, tailgating, fishing, hunting, and similar activities to power smaller appliances like TVs, smaller fridges, etc. and to charge smartphones, tablets, laptops, and similar devices and gadgets.

The smallest power generators can be replaced in many situations with lithium power stations that have many advantages over power generators, but also a few disadvantages as well.

Published: July 27, 2021.

H6 vs H7 Battery

H6 and H7 are battery labels (battery codes) according to the DIN standard and are rarely used in the US - more commonly in Europe.

H6 and H7 batteries feature similar dimensions, but not quite the same, leading to different performances.

DIN (German Industrial Standard) Part Number system is (being) replaced by the ETN (European Type Number) consisting of 6 or 9 numbers. But, DIN codes H6 and H7 are still being used quite often.

Published: July 25, 2021.

Best Honda Power Generators

Honda manufactures some of the best and most durable and toughest power generators on the market, often with the same warranty for commercial and residential use.

Honda power generators are known for reliable and quiet operation and excellent craftsmanship. But, Honda power generators are also far from being the cheapest units on the market. On contrary, they are expensive units, but what You pay is what You get...

Published: July 25, 2021.

Best 36 Volt Lithium Marine and RV Battery

Marine and RV 36-volt lithium batteries are used to store large amounts of energy and release it when needed. Shifting from 12V to 36V increases energy efficiency while keeping the required wiring at acceptable thickness.

Also, moving from lead-acid to lithium batteries decreases the weight of the battery pack, increases the number of charging/discharging cycles, increases the battery energy efficiency, etc.

Published: July 21, 2021.

BCI Group 24 vs Group 27 Battery

BCI Group 24 batteries and BCI Group 27 batteries are very similar batteries in terms of dimensions, battery types, chemistry, and in the end, their intended use.

However, these batteries are not exactly the same and they should not be used interchangeably unless explicitly permitted by the manufacturer of the intended application/service/tool.

Published: July 20, 2021.

Best Battery for Diesel Truck

Starting batteries can provide strong currents for very short periods of time, ensuring the safe starting of gas and diesel car and truck engines.

However, not all trucks are made equal, and starting large 6-7+ liter diesel engines during cold winter nights after being drained by various parasite loads can put a rather large strain on the battery, requiring strong and reliable batteries.

Published: July 9, 2021.

LR44 Lithium Battery Equivalents

From time to time, we are asked to help people find replacements for "LR44 lithium batteries", which is fairly easy - there is no such thing as a lithium LR44 battery.

And here is an explanation why not ...

Published: July 6, 2021.

Outdoors LED Solar Post Lights

Outdoors LED solar post lights are very practical lighting solutions for pathways, doorways, streets, fences, patios, gardens, etc. which combine LED lights, solar panels, rechargeable batteries, and charging controllers in one system.

Outdoor LED solar post lights can be mounted on posts, walls, fences, or any suitable, strong enough surface, that is capable of supporting these lights. Solar post lights come in many sizes with many different options regarding the additional features, making them very popular not only for commercial applications but also for residential use.

Published: June 16, 2021.

Off-the-Grid: How Many Watts Does a Toaster Use?

A toaster is a very popular kitchen appliance, commonly found in most homes, and is used for toasting bread or various toaster pastries.

Since toasters need just a few minutes to toast 2 or 4 slices of bread, their impact on energy bills is almost negligible. But, in case of blackouts, it is very important to know their power requirement if You wish to power your toast via power inverter, power station, and/or power generator.

Published: June 14, 2021.

What To Do If Carbon Monoxide Alarm Goes Off?

Carbon Monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless gas that is created when organic compounds and fuels burn without enough oxygen being present, including gasoline (gas), diesel, wood, oil, coal, propane, natural gas, and similar.

Problem with the carbon monoxide is that it is very dangerous for humans and animals and the only real protection are Carbon Monoxide alarms that continuously monitor the presence of CO in the air, which is great. But, what to do if/when Carbon Monoxide goes off?

Published: June 5, 2021.

Generator vs. Inverter: What is an Inverter Generator?

Regular generators and inverter generators are very similar devices that convert the chemical energy of the fossil fuel into mechanical energy (rotation of the internal combustion engine and electric generator) and mechanical energy into electric energy.

However, although their operation is very similar, internally there are several, very important differences...

Published: May 26, 2021.

How Many Batteries are in a 48 Volt Golf Cart?

Electric golf carts are powered by onboard battery packs which must be replaced from time to time. Commonly, electric golf carts use 36 volts and 48 volts electric systems, although 72 volts electric golf carts are becoming more and more popular.

Electric golf cart battery packs are based on 6V, 8V, and 12V lead-acid batteries, although in recent times, 12V, 24V, 36V, and 48V golf cart lithium batteries are also being manufactured. So, how many batteries are in a 48-volt golf cart?

Updated: May 10, 2021.

Golf Cart Batteries - Groups/Sizes, Types, and Features

Golf carts and other electric vehicles rely on their built-in batteries to provide them with enough power and energy for propulsion.

In order to increase the range and acceleration of the golf cart, the golf cart battery must be able to both store and to be able to release plenty of energy, often rapidly, while not causing weight penalties. Also, the golf cart battery must be able to cycle a lot, tolerate deep cycle discharges, to accept the charge quickly and similar. These requirements are not easy ones...

Published: May 10, 2021.

Convert Watts to Amps and Amps to Watts - How to Calculate Watts

Conversions between electrical units are usually simple and straightforward - take a formula, write down values, and let the calculator do the rest.

However, in real life, things are not always that simple, especially when converting units that require at least one unit to be known. If You wish to know more about converting watts to amps, amps to watts, volt-amps to watts, and similar, read carefully...

Updated: April 27, 2021.

Best Propane/Gasoline Dual Fuel Generators

Dual fuel power generators are types of generators that can out-of-box use both gasoline or propane, which can be very helpful in emergencies where gasoline can be hard to find.

Also, propane as fuel has many advantages over gasoline - it is more environment friendly, it stocks up more easily, it is more engine-friendly fuel, etc.

Published: March 13, 2021.

Best Wet/Flooded, Gel-Cell, AGM and Lithium 12V 100Ah Deep Cycle Batteries

Wet/flooded, gel-cell, AGM, and lithium 12V 100Ah deep cycle batteries are a very popular group of deep cycle and dual-purpose batteries, offering relatively large capacities (100+ Ah), a large amount of stored energy (1200+ Wh), and large discharge currents at acceptable price and weight.

Due to the maintenance requirements, wet/flooded batteries are used rarely, with the SLA Gel and AGM batteries being most common. Also, lithium 12V 100Ah batteries are getting more and more present on the market, offering huge weight savings.

Published: February 24, 2021.

Best Kayak Trolling Motor Battery

Trolling motors are commonly used as means of propulsion on kayaks of various sizes, especially on fishing kayaks, intended for longer fishing trips that last for hours and sometimes even for days.

The main issue any kayak owner has is the kayak's load capacity. While electric trolling motors are lightweight and feature excellent weight to thrust ratio, their batteries are anything but light - unless lithium kayak trolling batteries are used.

Published: February 24, 2021.

The Best Fish Finder Batteries for Kayaks and Smaller Boats

Fish finder batteries for kayaks and smaller boats must be lightweight and compact, but accept charge quickly from various sources, and should be able to power the fish finder during the entire fishing session without the need to be recharged before going to shore or starting the main engine (if present).

Fish finder batteries are spill-proof AGM and Gel-Cell lead-acid batteries and Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄) batteries. Most fish finder batteries feature nominal capacity in the 5 - 20 Ah range.

Published: February 24, 2021.

Is a Car Battery AC or DC Power Source?

Since automotive, marine, and industrial batteries are commonly used for powering both AC and DC loads, many people actually wonder if the simple car or marine battery is AC or DC power source?

This time, the answer is very simple.

Published: February 22, 2021.

The Best Power Inverter For Cars and Trucks

Power inverters for cars and trucks are becoming increasingly popular due to the large number of devices and gadgets that must be powered or at least occasionally charged while in the car.

As such, car power inverters should feature a car cigarette lighter adapter plug (12V DC) providing high-speed charging for smartphones, tablets, cameras, drones, but also for laptops and similar devices. However, due to the power limitations of the car cigarette lighter adapter, the output power of car inverters is also limited.

Published: January 20, 2021.

Off-the-Grid: How Much Electricity Does a Space Heater Use?

Space heaters convert electric energy directly into heat, making them rather inefficient, but simple and affordable units, commonly used for warming up tents, RV, and similar objects when being off-the-grid, but also for quick warming up of rooms and other areas at homes and apartments.

Since they entirely rely on electric energy, many people wonder how much electricity does a space heater use and how they can power such devices while being outdoors.

Published: January 13, 2021.

kWh to HP and HP to kWh Conversions

While HP is a unit of power, kWh is a unit of energy and direct conversion of these two units is not possible, without introducing the third parameter - time (T[s]).

kWh to HP and HP to kWh conversions are very important when both power and energy of internal combustion engines are transferred, stored, and compared with the energy and power of electric motors, inverters, pumps, winches, and other similar units that are powered by electric energy.

Published: December 28, 2020.

How Long Will a 100 Amp Hour Battery Last?

Lead-acid and lithium 100 Amp-Hour batteries are commonly used in automotive, marine, industrial, and off-the-grid applications as starting, dual-purpose and very often, as deep-cycle batteries.

Since they commonly used in many critical systems (medical, security, etc.) many people wonder how long can a 100Ah battery last under a certain load.

Published: December 8, 2020.

Off-the-Grid: How Many Watts and Amps Does a Microwave Use?

Microwave ovens are very popular kitchen appliances commonly used for cooking and/or heating food and beverages. Microwave ovens are also very efficient devices, which is very important in many ways.

Due to their convenient nature, microwave ovens are commonly used when camping, on boats, in the RVs, and similar, leading many people to ask themselves, how many watts do their microwave ovens actually use?

Updated: September 7, 2020.

Boat, Camping, RV and Household Appliances Wattage Charts

When powering home appliances using power generators and power stations, it is of utmost importance to know how much power our appliances require in order to operate properly and to avoid issues of overloading the power generators and power stations.

Our appliances chart includes the most common appliances, tools, gadgets used at homes, RVs, on the boats/yachts, during camping, etc.

Published: May 13, 2020.

Best Solar Panel Kits - 100 Watts, 200 Watts, 400 Watts Kits

Solar panel kits are great solution for powering hungry electric and electronic devices in various off-the-grid situations like camping, taking fishing trips, or simply when having issues with mains power.

Solar panel kits consists of one or more solar panels, power/charge controller and one or more deep cycle batteries for storing electric energy and are usually combination of solar panel/power (charge) controller/battery or solar panel/power station.

Published: March 23, 2020.